Shadows of Fire
Authors Note: The next chapters are unbetaed. I'll update my story with the betaed chapters soon. But I didn't want to wait. ^_^
*Chapter 8*
I hate these bloody chains! They rattle every time I move.
I have to be with Buffy! Not down here in this damn basement!
Don't they understand? I have to know she's all right…
I have to… do… something. Anything.
To stop thinking, remembering…
Everything came rushing back. Everything.
I'm not watching someone else anymore. It's me.
Killing. Feeding. Siring.
Her blood has cleared my clouded mind.
Only to reveal all the pain I've caused.
In crisp gruesome detail.
Her sweet powerful blood has released me from Its control.
I can feel it. That trigger, as the Scoobies called it, is gone.
I know it is.
She has freed me. But at such a cost.
My face still burns.
I really hate crosses. But I'm glad the boy had one on him.
Otherwise there would be more blood on my hands.
Not that it matters. I've killed so many.
So many…
I can't stay here. She needs me!
I did this to her. Made her weak.
In the time when she must be her strongest.
The battle continues. It made another move.
They beat It this time. Won this game.
Foiled Its plans.
But it was only a small battle; the real face off is coming. Soon.
I hear light footsteps coming down the stairs.
I stop my fidgeting,
So as to not frighten whoever comes down from the sounds of the chains.
I have to know what's going on.
Wouldn't be good to scare off my potential informant.
"Spike?"
"Buffy…" I sigh in relief.
She continues to descend the stairs. I'm surprised she's even walking.
And even more surprised that she isn't being followed by anyone.
I wouldn't have thought the Watcher or Xander would allow her to be alone with me.
She comes confidently toward me. No fear coming from her.
She stops a few steps in front of me.
"Hey." She says as if it was just another day in Slayer central.
"Hey, pet." I look her over. The bandage on her neck.
The tired but strong expression.
The slight way she is swaying…
"Would you like to… sit?" I gesture to the chair still by the cot.
She moves toward the cot and sits down next to me.
I'm being surprised a lot tonight.
Just as I'm about to move to allow more space between us,
She reaches out and gently touches the burn on my face.
"Does that hurt?" She quietly asks.
I shake my head. "I'll be fine."
Hesitantly, I move my hand to her neck,
Ready to retract it if she were to flinch or show any sign of fear.
She doesn't.
"I'm…" I should say I'm sorry. Beg forgiveness.
Tell her I'm free. She freed me.
Tell her…
I can't find the words.
She just nods and gives a small smile.
"Willow saved the day." She states.
"Huh?"
"Willow did a protection spell. Stopped the attack on Giles." She elaborates.
"That's what she was doing."
"And she eviscerated the attacker."
"I saw the fireball, remind me to avoid her on her particularly crabby days."
She chuckles. And moves her hand to mine.
"Turns out it was Ethan. I don't think you know him…"
I shake my head. Name doesn't sound familiar.
"Remember Halloween? Costume craziness?"
"Oh yeah. I do recall that."
"That was him. As was Giles becoming a… Fartyl… Fankel…"
"Fyarl demon, love." I smile at her.
"Right. That. Well he won't be popping up anymore. Seeing as he got fried."
Pity really, those were some interesting times.
"We're doing the spell tonight." She tells me.
"You ready?" She hasn't had any time to heal. Get her strength back.
"As ready as I'll ever be. We have to do this. I have to."
"Okay."
She looks at me. Hard.
"Did it work?" She asks.
"Yes."
She nods her head. And gets up.
"I'm going to talk to the guys. I'll be back down soon."
~
Authors Note: The next chapters are unbetaed. I'll update my story with the betaed chapters soon. But I didn't want to wait. ^_^
*Chapter 8*
I hate these bloody chains! They rattle every time I move.
I have to be with Buffy! Not down here in this damn basement!
Don't they understand? I have to know she's all right…
I have to… do… something. Anything.
To stop thinking, remembering…
Everything came rushing back. Everything.
I'm not watching someone else anymore. It's me.
Killing. Feeding. Siring.
Her blood has cleared my clouded mind.
Only to reveal all the pain I've caused.
In crisp gruesome detail.
Her sweet powerful blood has released me from Its control.
I can feel it. That trigger, as the Scoobies called it, is gone.
I know it is.
She has freed me. But at such a cost.
My face still burns.
I really hate crosses. But I'm glad the boy had one on him.
Otherwise there would be more blood on my hands.
Not that it matters. I've killed so many.
So many…
I can't stay here. She needs me!
I did this to her. Made her weak.
In the time when she must be her strongest.
The battle continues. It made another move.
They beat It this time. Won this game.
Foiled Its plans.
But it was only a small battle; the real face off is coming. Soon.
I hear light footsteps coming down the stairs.
I stop my fidgeting,
So as to not frighten whoever comes down from the sounds of the chains.
I have to know what's going on.
Wouldn't be good to scare off my potential informant.
"Spike?"
"Buffy…" I sigh in relief.
She continues to descend the stairs. I'm surprised she's even walking.
And even more surprised that she isn't being followed by anyone.
I wouldn't have thought the Watcher or Xander would allow her to be alone with me.
She comes confidently toward me. No fear coming from her.
She stops a few steps in front of me.
"Hey." She says as if it was just another day in Slayer central.
"Hey, pet." I look her over. The bandage on her neck.
The tired but strong expression.
The slight way she is swaying…
"Would you like to… sit?" I gesture to the chair still by the cot.
She moves toward the cot and sits down next to me.
I'm being surprised a lot tonight.
Just as I'm about to move to allow more space between us,
She reaches out and gently touches the burn on my face.
"Does that hurt?" She quietly asks.
I shake my head. "I'll be fine."
Hesitantly, I move my hand to her neck,
Ready to retract it if she were to flinch or show any sign of fear.
She doesn't.
"I'm…" I should say I'm sorry. Beg forgiveness.
Tell her I'm free. She freed me.
Tell her…
I can't find the words.
She just nods and gives a small smile.
"Willow saved the day." She states.
"Huh?"
"Willow did a protection spell. Stopped the attack on Giles." She elaborates.
"That's what she was doing."
"And she eviscerated the attacker."
"I saw the fireball, remind me to avoid her on her particularly crabby days."
She chuckles. And moves her hand to mine.
"Turns out it was Ethan. I don't think you know him…"
I shake my head. Name doesn't sound familiar.
"Remember Halloween? Costume craziness?"
"Oh yeah. I do recall that."
"That was him. As was Giles becoming a… Fartyl… Fankel…"
"Fyarl demon, love." I smile at her.
"Right. That. Well he won't be popping up anymore. Seeing as he got fried."
Pity really, those were some interesting times.
"We're doing the spell tonight." She tells me.
"You ready?" She hasn't had any time to heal. Get her strength back.
"As ready as I'll ever be. We have to do this. I have to."
"Okay."
She looks at me. Hard.
"Did it work?" She asks.
"Yes."
She nods her head. And gets up.
"I'm going to talk to the guys. I'll be back down soon."
~